The present invention relates generally to a system and method for limiting access to confidential information during an e-commerce transaction and more particularly to the use of cross-media to confirm an e-commerce transaction.
One of the greatest deterrents to widespread use of electronic commerce involves consumers' lack of confidence in current techniques used to secure confidential information. Although encryption techniques have been used to prevent third parties from discovering a customer's confidential information, many customers remain reluctant to provide a company with confidential information over the Internet. In particular, some customers are wary that the company will misuse the information by making fraudulent purchases or will sell the information to another company. These wary consumers recognize that in electronic transactions, confidential information such as credit cards numbers, social security numbers, telephone numbers and addresses, can be copied and distributed many times and across several companies with little effort. Accordingly, transactions over the Internet have been primarily limited to reputable companies, making e-commerce difficult for newer companies.